I always tried to consider the paths I traveled throughout my life as a journey, not a destination. And I always felt inclined to take the path less traveled, frequently to my own detriment. Often wrong, but always certain, I would set off on my way.
Over the years, the adventures along these paths, with friends and loved ones sharing this journey with me, were much like a casual stroll on a warm summer day along a quiet beach trial. Beautiful. Carefree. Pleasant.
Unfortunately, over the past two years, as I have battled this wicked disease, some of these paths, both physically and emotionally, have become less enjoyable and more burdensome. I am no longer able to choose the path, nor can I simply exit the path to venture off in a new direction. It’s a cruel fact, a brutal reality. But it is what it is.
Since y’all didn’t excoriate me after I posted my Brutal Beast poem (thanks for your kindness there) 🙂 I thought I’d share another one that I wrote last month. It reflects on the realities of this new path. I hope you find it worthy.
A Troubled Path
I traverse a troubled path,
Through darkness and despair,
Along a broken, brutal trail,
Yet ‘tis a burden I shall bare.
The road ahead is lonely,
Though I travel not alone,
Journey, passage, progress,
So much remains unknown.
My way is fraught with peril,
A route replete with twist and turn,
The distance allowed to travel,
Thus far I’ve yet to learn.
Towards days of loss and struggle,
Into nights of stress and strife,
These trials shall not define me,
Nor negate the beauty of my life.
Yes, I traverse a troubled path,
And though the choice was never mine,
I shall embrace my final fate,
As I trust in God divine.
